#&†††~....                                          ....~†††&#
#&†;......                                          ......;†&#
#&@††;....                                          ....;††@&#
&&&@†~....                                          ....~†@&&&
###&@†;~..                                          ..~;†@&###
###&@†;~..             ................             ..~;†@&###
###&@†;~..             the alvar fields             ..~;†@&###
###&@†;~..             @@@##########@@@             ..~;†@&###
#&†~......                                          ......~†&#
#&@†~..... from   north   to   south,  thirty   odd .....~†@&#
&&@††;;~.. kilometers.  from  west  to  east,  four ..~;;††@&&
###&@†;~.. thousand  meters. from topsoil to stone, ..~;†@&###
&†;....... a foot  or two. no roots can  fester, no .......;†&
###&@†;~..             dust can linger.             ..~;†@&###
&†~.......                                          .......~†&
####&@;~.. here  is  earth,  clay,  and  sturdy low ..~;@&####
#@;~...... plants.  bushes  frame  the  strip.  the ......~;@#
###&@†;~.. earth  is  bare  in patches  as large as ..~;†@&###
###&@†;~..               you and me.                ..~;†@&###
###&@†;~..                                          ..~;†@&###
###&@†;~.. cross  it to  get to the ocean, or don't ..~;†@&###
&†††~.....          to stay where you are.          .....~†††&
#&&&@†;~..                                          ..~;†@&&&#
#@@†;;;~..                                          ..~;;;†@@#
##@@†;....                                          ....;†@@##
&&&@;.....                                          .....;@&&&
###&@†;~..                                          ..~;†@&###
#&@@;~....                                          ....~;@@&#